Shopping ads, or product listing ads (PLAs), are set to appear within Google image searches

Leading publishes and marketing news channel E-Consultancy offers some feedback on what you now need to look out for, when it comes to Google search;

An example of PLAs for the image search term ‘crystal necklace’.

Expect a drop in organic traffic from image results

Of late, Google’s product changes in search have led SEOs to bemoan the erosion of natural listings, notably with more and larger ads appearing on mobile (three text ads at the top instead of two, and large format PLAs).

Typically on Google Image search all results are organic and take up approximately 66% of the screen above the fold. With the introduction of Image Ads this drops to about 25%, so if you are currently getting a lot of traffic through image searches expect this to drop off significantly.

The ads themselves will be more relevant to the search and have extra information which will further take clicks away from organic results (such as prices, brand names and URLs of trusted websites).

This is another step in the direction of the first page of Google containing only paid-for or non-organic results!

Image ads could become a powerful new tool

What is being picked up on is the power of imagery across ecommerce, from retailer websites, to Instagram and Pinterest particularly.

Viewed in this light, PLA ads in image search could become a powerful new tool.

But advertisers should keep on eye on CTR and CVR

The loudest note of caution, as usual with PPC, surrounds the implementation and testing of this feature by advertisers.

And don’t forget retargeting through PLAs

There will be doubts about Google image search’s ability to drive sales (not just awareness) in ecommerce until results come through.

However, we shouldn’t forget that remarketing lists for search ads (RLSAs) work with PLAs, and therefore retailers will be able to retarget customers who have visited their site with PLAs in image search.

Could Google monetise image search beyond PLAs?

Although not impacted at this stage, this change is most likely an indication of Google’s future intent to monetise image listings within the natural search space, in the same way that shopping listings were moved to a paid-for format (PLAs).

See the original article here.

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